Tsunade fell silent for a moment.
Orochimaru was right. This was a rare opportunity, but…
"With so many Sunagakure shinobi stationed inside Kikyō Castle, even without the Third Kazekage, we would still suffer heavy losses."
Orochimaru looked at her quietly and replied in a steady tone, "At this stage, are you still concerned about casualties?"
Before Tsunade could respond, he shook his head.
"I've felt pain too. This battlefield is where the war began, deep within the Land of Wind. Supply routes here are far more difficult than anywhere else, easily ten times worse."
"Every time Sunagakure chooses to fight to the death, it weighs on me."
"When I couldn't sleep at night, I would sit alone and go through the casualty reports, checking how many names I actually recognized."
"Eventually, I stopped reacting. Now, even massive losses are just numbers on an intelligence report."
"Tsunade, from the beginning of this war until now, too many shinobi have died. The priority is no longer to prolong it. How long are we supposed to keep this going? Until Hayashi and Sakumo finish off the Land of Earth?"
"Do you think they are not exhausted? Leading thousands of shinobi across long distances, rotating through multiple battlefronts. Is Hayashi supposed to invade Kirigakure alone? Is Sakumo supposed to hold back two thousand Sunagakure shinobi by himself?"
"They simply had no other choice."
"The Land of Wind front has dragged on too long. Too many lives have already been lost here. We need to end this war as quickly as possible and redirect our remaining strength to other battlefields. That is the only rational path forward."
"Yes, many will die in this operation, perhaps even more than before. Even you and I might not survive."
"But once we break through Kikyō Castle, everything becomes easier. We can advance straight to Sunagakure. Even if the Third Kazekage refuses to surrender, he will have no choice in the end."
"This is our final opportunity. There is no more time to hesitate. Every death here could shorten the war by a day. It is that simple."
Orochimaru exhaled slowly, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"This is war. This is Konoha."
He sat back in silence, alone in his seat, his figure seeming unusually distant.
Tsunade looked at him for a long moment.
This was the man she had grown up with, a childhood companion who had walked the same path alongside her.
For a brief moment, she thought of Jiraiya, far away in the Land of Hot Water. It had been a long time since the three of them had gathered together.
Then her thoughts drifted further.
Kushina back in the village, Hayashi fighting in the Land of Wind, Nawaki stationed in the Land of Earth.
After a long silence, Tsunade finally spoke.
"I understand."
She stood up and turned to leave. As she lifted the tent flap, she paused and glanced back.
"Orochimaru, you should smile more. Don't lock yourself away in the laboratory all the time."
"Your presence has become too cold. The girl on duty earlier was frightened to tears."
"…."
---
As Orochimaru and Tsunade mobilized the forces at the encampment, Hayashi on the other side of the desert had also received the report.
"The teacher is preparing for a full-scale offensive," Hayashi said, turning toward the Third Hokage.
"A full-scale offensive?" The Third Hokage narrowed his eyes, thinking briefly before nodding. "It is reckless, but it is indeed the best timing."
Although he had remained in the village and only entered the battlefield this once, he was fully aware of the situation across all fronts.
"It seems I will need to return to Kikyō Castle once more."
His tone was calm, but his decision was immediate.
"Are you planning to provide reinforcements?" Hayashi asked.
The Third Hokage nodded.
"You have never been to Kikyō Castle, so you are unfamiliar with its terrain."
"It is carved into the mountains, with extremely harsh defensive geography. It is the most advantageous stronghold in the entire Land of Wind, the only fortress with true natural depth."
He clenched his jaw slightly.
"That is why I must take part in this offensive. I cannot allow our shinobi to be worn down there endlessly. If even one life can be saved, it is worth it."
Hayashi hesitated, then asked, "What should I do next? Do you need me to join as well?"
The Third Hokage looked at him and shook his head with a faint smile.
"You do not need to go. This ambush… was largely successful because of you. I did not contribute much."
"You have already exhausted yourself. You should rest."
"Over in the Land of Earth, you should return and take command. Sakumo may not be able to hold the situation alone."
Hayashi paused for a moment, then nodded.
The Third Hokage continued, "You have rotated through multiple battlefields during this war. From the Land of Wind to others… you have done well."
"This is my duty as a Konoha shinobi," Hayashi replied quietly.
The Third Hokage nodded in approval, then his expression grew more serious.
"There is something else you must understand."
"The Mangekyō Sharingan possesses extraordinary power. Each eye can manifest a different technique."
"But this power comes at a cost."
"If used too frequently, your eyesight will deteriorate rapidly. It may even lead to temporary blindness."
He added, "Temporary blindness can recover over time as your ocular power stabilizes, but with continued use, the damage becomes permanent."
"…Until you lose your sight completely."
Hayashi nodded calmly.
"I understand. The elders of my clan have already told me."
It was not entirely true, but he did not correct it further.
The Third Hokage accepted the answer and continued.
"Then that is good. But still, try to avoid relying on it. If you lose your sight, your career as a shinobi will effectively end."
He looked at Hayashi for a moment and sighed.
"Your father once awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. With those eyes, Uchiha Kagami saved both me and Danzō multiple times."
"But in the end, he was ambushed, and his eyes were taken from him."
A faint anger surfaced in his expression.
"At the time, we could not even determine who was responsible. I even suspected Uchiha Yama."
"If those eyes still existed…"
He paused.
"The Second Hokage once mentioned that Uchiha Madara transplanted his brother's Mangekyō Sharingan. Not only did he regain his sight, but the eyes no longer went blind. They became permanent."
"That is the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan."
"Before Madara, there were no known cases of the Mangekyō being awakened in the clan. If his brother's eyes could be transplanted successfully, then perhaps your father's eyes could also restore yours."
He exhaled slowly.
"It is just unfortunate…"
Hayashi remained silent.
He was not like Madara, just as his father Uchiha Kagami had not been.
The Third Hokage, having watched Hayashi grow up under Orochimaru's tutelage, naturally trusted him deeply.
If Hayashi could fully harness that power, Konoha's strength would surpass the other villages for decades to come. As long as he lived, another great war might never even begin.
A rare opportunity… wasted.
The Third Hokage clenched his fist as wind and sand struck his face.
If he ever discovered who was responsible for Kagami's fate, he would kill them without hesitation.
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